A survey carried out by EDP, an electricity distributor that serves 70 municipalities in Espírito Santo and 28 cities in the state of São Paulo, shows that around 180 thousand families in their concession areas will be exempt from monthly consumption of up to 220kWh, for up to three months (April, May and June), due to the coronavirus pandemic. Concessionaires guide the requirements of customers who are entitled to the benefit.

• Families enrolled in the CadÚnico for Social Programs of the Federal Government, with per capita monthly family income proven to be less than or equal to half the minimum wage;
• Elderly people aged 65 (sixty-five) or more and people with disabilities who receive the Continued Social Assistance Benefit - BPC;
• Families enrolled in CadÚnico with a monthly income of up to 3 (three) minimum wages, who have a disease or pathology whose treatment or medical procedure requires continued use of devices, equipment or instruments that depend on the consumption of electricity;
• Indigenous or quilombola families registered with CadÚnico;

If the family fits into one of the situations above and is not yet registered in the Electricity Social Tariff, simply enter the website www.edp.com.br/tarifasocial and make the request. The benefit will be valid from the date of acceptance of the registration, being able to exempt the family for up to three months (April, May and June). It is worth mentioning that customers already registered in the Social Tariff do not need to contact the Concessionaire, as the benefit was applied automatically.

It is important to emphasize that the exemption will only occur in the consumption of electricity up to 220kWh. If the customer exceeds this limit, the difference will be charged. Other amounts that are collected in the electric bill, such as taxes, are not covered by the exemption. This is the case of the Public Lighting Contribution (CIP), passed on to municipal governments for maintenance and expansion of the service. Services contracted by customers, such as donations, insurance, installments, health and dental plans, among others, will also continue to be charged.

EDP's Commercial Service manager, Evandro Scopel, highlights the importance of the benefit and warns families to use energy rationally and without waste. “In the scenario we are living in, the Social Energy Tariff becomes even more relevant for the benefited families. Registered customers will be exempt from the amount referring to their energy consumption for the next three months, but they must use energy efficiently in order not to exceed the limit of 220 kW/h, stipulated by the Federal Government, because if it exceeds, the consumption the surplus will be charged, as well as all corresponding taxes and tributes,”says the EDP manager.

How to receive the benefit

In order to have access to the Social Energy Tariff benefit it is necessary that the customer has the Social Identification Number (NIS), from the Single Registry for Social Programs of the Federal Government (CadÚnico).  When customers holding NIS are not holders of the energy bill or are out of date with EDP, it is not possible for the Concessionaire to automatically register these families for the benefit, and the customer should seek EDP to register through www.edp.com.br/tarifasocial.

 In addition to the website, consumers have the option to register through the Call Center, in Espírito Santo at 0800 721 0707 and in São Paulo at 0800 721 0123 (toll free, 24 hours/seven days a week). After enrollment, EDP will evaluate the documentation and, if everything is correct, the customer will receive an exemption from consumption on the next energy bill.

If the family is already registered in the Social Tariff, there is no need to contact the Concessionaire, as the benefit will be applied spontaneously. EDP also continuously performs the automatic registration of customers in the concession area who have an updated NIS and hold an energy bill. 

It is important to highlight that the Social Tariff is a perennial benefit of the Federal Government that allows discounts on the energy bill granted for the first 220 kWh consumed monthly by residential customers classified as low income. The discount varies according to the monthly consumption range (kWh/month), reaching up to 65% reduction in the bill.

Documents required to register with EDP:

• Updated Social Identification Number (NIS) - obtained from the city hall through CRAS;
• Energy bill;
• CPF (Individual Taxpayer Registry) and Identity Card (or other social identification document with photo) or Administrative Record of Indigenous Birth (RANI);
• Rental agreement, if you are a tenant of the property;
• In case of receiving the Continued Social Assistance Benefit (BPC) it is necessary to present the benefit number.
• For the case of a family enrolled in the Cadastro Único with a monthly income of up to 3 (three) minimum wages, who has a disease or disability whose treatment, medical or therapeutic procedure requires the continued use of equipment that requires consumption of electricity, it is necessary to present the report and a certificate signed by a medical professional;

More information

• Each family is entitled to only one installation with the benefit of the Social Tariff;
• In cases of change of address, registered customers must inform EDP, who will make the necessary changes.
• The update of CadÚnico is the responsibility of the consumer and must be made at the Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) of the municipality.